ACHIEVEMENT MOTIVATION, ACADEMIC SELF-CONCEPT AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract

The study investigated the relationship between achievement motivation, academic selfconcept and academic achievement of high school students. In addition, the study found out the students profile to ascertain the levels of achievement motivation, self-concept, and their academic achievement. A total of 120 students selected from four high schools participated in the study. The Inventory of School Motivation (ISM) developed by Mclnerney & Sinclair (1991) and The Self-Concept Scale by Cambra & Silvester (2003) were administered on the sample to assess their motivation and self-concept respectively. Percentages, and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Co-efficient were used to analyse the data. The results showed that, majority of the high school students were highly motivated, have high self-concept and performed well on the Mathematics Achievement test. The study also found a significant correlation between self-concept and academic achievement. Again, there was a positive relationship between achievement motivation and academic achievement but the correlation was not significant. The study confirms the importance of achievement motivation and academic self- concept to academic achievement and concluded by making insightful suggestions and recommendations to stakeholders in education in helping students to enhance their motivation and self-concept to improve on their academic performance.